Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter Ten:

Merlin stared up at the castle, towards where he knew the Physicians chambers were. The courtyard was quiet and as two stable hands came forward to take his and Arthur's horses. Glancing across at Arthur, Merlin could see the concerned look on his face. Jumping down from his horse and thanking the stable hand, Merlin began to head towards the castle, not bothering to wait for Arthur.

He had to see if Mordred was still alive.

Hurrying through the castle, Merlin ducked and dodged around the other servants, receiving both cheerful greetings and startled yells as he rushed past. It didn't take him long to reach the Physicians chambers and Merlin burst into the main room and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Mordred sitting at one of the work benches, looking a little pale as he ate a bowl of broth.

"You're alive!" Merlin smiled as he walked towards where Mordred was sitting.

Mordred looked up at Merlin and returned the smile.

"I have you to thank for that, Emrys," Mordred answered.

Merlin shook his head as he sat down beside Mordred and pulled him into a brief hug.

"I couldn't heal you, Mordred," Merlin explained. "I tried every healing spell I thought would work on the injury, but none of them worked."

"Then how am I alive?" Mordred asked with in frown.

"Arthur went to plead with the Disir," Merlin answered. "It seems the promise he made them was enough."

"What did he promise them?" Mordred questioned.

"That magic would be freed upon Morgana's death," Merlin answered with another smile.

Mordred dropped the spoon he was holding in shock, as he turned to look at Merlin in disbelief.

"Sir Mordred!" Arthur suddenly said from the doorway.

Mordred quickly got to his feet and bowed his head.

"My lord," Mordred greeted.

Arthur let out a laugh and moved forward, pulling Mordred into a tight embrace, before releasing him and taking a step back to look him over.

"You look terrible," Arthur said.

Mordred wasn't sure how to respond to that and he was saved answering by the return of Gaius, who had left before Merlin and Arthur had returned, to treat a knight who'd been injured during practice.

"My lord," Gaius greeted.

Arthur nodded to Gaius.

"How is he, Gaius?" Arthur asked. "Will he be fit to return to duty?"

"He will make a full recovery, sire," Gaius answered. "The injury although serious, appears to be healing quite well… As for lasting damage, I will not be able to tell until the injury is completely healed."

Arthur nodded and turned back to Mordred.

"Rest and do everything Gaius tells you," Arthur said. "That's an order."

"Yes, sire," Mordred bowed his head.

Arthur smiled and turned to Merlin.

"George will take over your duties for the rest of the day," Arthur warned him. "But I expect you bright and early with my breakfast tomorrow morning."

Merlin raised an eyebrow and nodded, watching as Arthur turned and left.

"What happened, Merlin?" Gaius asked, as he crossed the room and guided Mordred to sit down once more.

"I don't know," Merlin shrugged slightly. "He didn't hit his head on anything… Maybe something else is causing his odd behaviour."

Gaius cuffed Merlin around the head lightly, causing Mordred to grin.

"Hey!" Merlin exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"What happened with the Disir, Merlin?" Gaius questioned.

"Arthur promised to free magic upon Morgana's death," Merlin explained. "He's going to free magic!"

Gaius raised an eyebrow, "Killing Morgana is no easy task, Merlin. It could be many years until her death."

"I know," Merlin sighs. "But it's a start… It shows Arthur heart hasn't completely hardened against magic. He doesn't believe his father was right… One day we'll be free, he promised that."

"Well, you best keep that head of yours on your shoulders until that day, my boy," Gaius smiled slightly. "And you Mordred, need to finish that broth."

)o(

Arthur sat at the desk in his room, staring down at a plain looking box. Inside the box was the stone King Sarrum had given him at the feast, the stone which glowed in the presence of magic. He hadn't looked at it since Gwen had been freed from Morgana's control… He had assumed the magic the stone had sensed, was simply the spell Morgana had over Gwen.

But if he was going to have any hope of fulfilling his promise the Disir and freeing magic in Camelot, he was going to have to start actively fighting against Morgana and those loyal to her. Once she was no longer of this world, it would be safe to free magic… She wouldn't be able to hide her spies with those who were loyal to Camelot, like she would be able to if magic was free.

Merlin was right though, if he had agreed to free magic immediately, a lot of Morgana's follows would leave her and no longer support her… Morgana wanted the throne of Camelot, though. That desire wouldn't simply go away because he had freed her kind. Morgana would not rest until she was Queen and Camelot was under her rule.

Reaching forward Arthur opened the box. If he was going to take an active stand against Morgana and defeat her, he'd need to find the spies she had in Camelot and the stone was his way to do it. It was just a shame that King Sarrum hadn't given him more information on how the stone worked. Sighing Arthur stared at the stone, which was glowing just as brightly as it had at the feast.

All that proved was there were sorcerers… Or maybe just one, in Camelot. Because who else with magic would be foolish enough to live in a place, where if they were found would be sentenced to death?

Emrys.

Arthur frowned slightly as he thought back to the name Morgana had mentioned so long ago. Emrys was a magic user Morgana had believed to working against her, working to protect Camelot, and if what his uncle had said, was to be believed, they were a powerful one sorcerer… Powerful enough to bind Morgana's magic.

Arthur sighed again.

Maybe he could track this Emrys down and ask for help… But why would they expose themselves and help him? Magic wasn't free yet. By law, Arthur would have to kill them… No, this was something he and his Knights would have to do. Arthur lent back in his chair and shut his eyes, suddenly remembering the dragon Morgana had on her side… He had killed the Great Dragon, but he had lost a lot of men in the process.

And he no doubt lose a great many men in the fight against Morgana. Many had already died at her hand and he wasn't even actively seeking her out or hunting her down. Yes, the lookouts and patrols were told to look for signs of her and her activity, but they were no ordered to go out of their way to find her… He didn't even know if Morgana could be found within the Kingdom of Camelot, or whether she had taken refuge outside of the borders.

Maybe actively fighting her wasn't such a good idea…

But he had promised the Disir magic would be freed on Morgana's death. He couldn't just sit around doing nothing! What if they changed their minds? What if they suddenly decided his promise wasn't enough? What if they saw him doing nothing to try and fulfil his promise and decided his fate wasn't worthy of being changed? Would they take Mordred's life as a punishment? For that was why Mordred was recovering wasn't it?

Arthur sighed again and rested his heads in his hands.

He had so many questions and nowhere to get the answers he needed.

)o(

"Alator," Merlin greeted, as he appeared in the middle of Alator's room.

Alator jumped where he was sitting, studying a text. He looked and saw Merlin standing in the centre of his room and quick got to his feet and bowed to Merlin.

"Emrys," He greeted in turn.

Merlin rolled his eyes at Alator's bow.

"I came to inform you of some fortunate news, regarding Camelot's future," Merlin said, walking forward and sitting in the chair opposite Alator's desk.

Alator sat back down and stared at Merlin, curiously.

"What news do you bring, Emrys?" He asked.

"The Disir called forth Arthur for judgement," Merlin explained. "In order to escape his fate, he had to free magic… He had promised the Disir he will free magic, when Morgana is dead."

"That is indeed fortunate news, Emrys," Alator nodded. "But the future of magic does not rest in his hands… It rests in yours."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"Arthur cannot kill Morgana, just as she cannot kill him," Alator answered. "Morgana is destined to die by your hand, Emrys, and your hand alone."

Merlin sat back in his chair.

"I cannot kill someone cold blood, Alator," Merlin shook his head. "As much as I wish I could leave here now and track Morgana down and kill her… I cannot murder her!"

"Morgana has committed many crimes, Emrys," Alator reminded him.

"But the council has not ordered her execution," Merlin pointed out. "Morgana has not attacked Camelot openly for years, nor has she declared war… If she is to die by my hand, it will be in battle or in defence of enough. I will not hunt her down and kill her like an animal!"

The two of them fell silent for a moment.

"I am curious, Emrys," Alator spoke up. "What befell the king, in order for him to take the Disir's judgement seriously? Since Queen Mab's curse, he has not shown the Old Ways the respect and honour he once did."

"Mordred," Merlin replied. "Mordred jumped in front of Arthur, before I had a chance to react, and stopped Arthur from suffering serious harm. He was injured by one of their staffs… Even my magic could not heal his wounds. Faced with the death of one of his Knights, Arthur returned to the Disir and pleaded that they save Mordred."

"And how is young Mordred?" Alator asked.

"He's recovering," Merlin answered. "When we left the Disir, I feared they would not undo their work. Their demand was Arthur free magic and return the Old Religion to Camelot, but Arthur refused to do so until Morgana is dead."

Alator stared at Merlin.

"What is it?" Merlin asked suddenly worried.

"I fear Arthur Pendragon has not escaped his fate at all, Emrys," Alator said, getting to his feet and hurrying over to the shelves which lined the walls of his room.

"What do you mean?" Merlin questioned.

"There is a prophecy," Alator answered. "It was given to the Catha many years ago, to be guarded and protected until you, Emrys, could receive it."

"I know the prophecy," Merlin pointed out. "Kilgharrah has told me about it enough time… In fact he never lets me forget it!"

"This prophecy is different, Emrys," Alator replied. "And I fear, after the events you have described, it is about to come to pass."

Merlin continued to watch Alator as he searched the room, but Alator seemed unable to find it.

"Forgive me, Emrys," Alator said, turning to Merlin. "I am unable to find it. I will send word to you the instant it is found."

Merlin nodded, "I'll be waiting… But Gaius once told me, the future has many paths. The prophecy you speak of, may never come to be."

"That is indeed possible, Emrys," Alator agreed. "But Arthur did not bow to the demands of the Triple Goddess… There is little chance the Disir have spared Arthur his fate."

)o(

Hey! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time,

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.